Running Google Ads for your roofing company without using negative keywords is like trying to bail water with a bucket full of holes. You’ll burn through budget fast—and end up with leads that never convert.
Negative keywords are one of the most overlooked tools in roofing PPC campaigns, yet they can make the difference between a profitable ad strategy and a money pit. When used correctly, they filter out the traffic you don’t want—so you can focus your budget on the clicks that actually drive jobs.
In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to use negative keywords to improve ROI, reduce wasted spend, and get more qualified roofing leads from Google Ads.
What Are Negative Keywords?
Negative keywords are search terms you tell Google to exclude from your campaign. When someone types in a query that includes a negative keyword, your ad won’t show—even if it matches part of your target phrase.
Example:
- Target keyword: roof repair near me
- Negative keyword: jobs
- Search: “roof repair jobs near me” → Your ad will NOT show
This prevents your ad from showing for irrelevant searches, saving you money and improving campaign performance.
Why Negative Keywords Are Crucial for Roofing PPC
1. They Eliminate Junk Traffic
Without negative keywords, you risk showing ads to:
- Job seekers (searching “roofing jobs near me”)
- DIYers (searching “how to patch roof yourself”)
- Shoppers looking for materials (searching “roof shingles for sale”)
- People outside your service area
Every one of these clicks costs you money—and zero chance of becoming a paying customer.
2. They Improve Lead Quality
Removing irrelevant traffic means the people who do click your ad are more likely to be:
- Homeowners needing urgent repair
- Property managers searching for replacement quotes
- Insurance claimants looking for help after a storm
These are the leads that actually book jobs and generate revenue.
3. They Lower Cost Per Lead (CPL)
When your ads get better click-through rates (CTR) and higher Quality Scores—thanks to tighter targeting—Google rewards you with lower cost-per-click (CPC). That leads to a lower overall cost per lead.
Learn more in How to Avoid Wasting Money on Broad Match Keywords in Roofing Ads.
4. They Improve Conversion Rates
By keeping your ads in front of real prospects and away from the wrong audience, your conversion rate naturally improves. You spend less to get more leads—and more jobs.
Common Negative Keywords for Roofing Companies
Here’s a list of negative keywords most roofing PPC campaigns should start with:
Employment-Related
- jobs
- careers
- hiring
- salary
- apprenticeship
DIY and Educational Searches
- how to
- DIY
- fix yourself
- youtube
- tutorial
Product or Material Searches
- supplies
- materials
- shingles for sale
- roofing tools
- lumber yard
Irrelevant Industries
- software
- courses
- consulting
- wholesale
Freebies and Price-Shoppers
- cheap
- free materials
- lowest cost
- discount code
Note: “Free roof inspection” can be valuable if it’s part of your service offering—but if not, it’s worth testing as a negative keyword.
Where to Add Negative Keywords in Google Ads
1. Campaign-Level
Use this for broad terms you want excluded from all ad groups (e.g., “jobs” or “DIY”). This helps keep your entire campaign clean.
2. Ad Group-Level
Use this to block keywords that are irrelevant to specific service types. For example, in a “roof replacement” ad group, you might exclude “repair” or “patch.”
3. Shared Negative Lists
Google Ads lets you create shared lists of negative keywords that you can apply across multiple campaigns. This saves time and ensures consistency.
How to Build Your Negative Keyword List
1. Review the Search Terms Report
In Google Ads, go to Keywords → Search Terms to see exactly what people searched before clicking your ad. Add anything irrelevant as a negative keyword immediately.
2. Use Google Suggest & Autocomplete
Type in your target keywords and see what phrases Google suggests. These can help identify common bad matches.
3. Analyze Intent
Ask: “Is this search coming from someone who’s likely to hire a roofer—or someone who’s trying to learn, apply, or shop?”
4. Watch Performance Metrics
If certain keywords have high spend but no conversions, dig into the search terms behind them. They might need to be excluded or replaced.
How HOWL Uses Negative Keywords to Maximize ROI
At HOWL, we don’t just run Google Ads—we engineer lead systems. That means building PPC campaigns with:
- Hyper-targeted keywords and zip codes
- Intent-driven ad copy and landing pages
- Intent data overlays to identify ready-to-buy homeowners
- Extensive negative keyword lists to eliminate junk traffic
We monitor search terms daily and refine negative lists weekly to keep campaigns lean and efficient—so our roofing clients get more leads and book more jobs at a lower cost.
Final Thoughts: Trim the Fat, Boost the Results
Negative keywords aren’t a bonus—they’re a requirement if you want to scale your roofing ads profitably. They help you avoid the wrong clicks, focus on high-intent leads, and stretch your budget further.
Apply to work with HOWL and let us build you a roofing PPC strategy that filters out the noise, doubles down on what works, and turns clicks into contracts.